© Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia Publisher’s Office
JQSR
http://publisher.uthm.edu.my/ojs/index.php/jqsr e-ISSN : 2773-5532
Journal of Quranic Sciences
and Research
Pahlawan Qarin: The Concept of Collaborative Learning Game Environment in the Understanding and Translation of the Quran among Youngsters
Juliana Mohamed
1*, Rosfuzah Roslan
1, Nurul Farahain Kasmin
1, Siti Hawa Illiyin Mohd Noor
1, Nurul Ernna Jeffry
1, Maznee Zaheera Masli
11Department of Information Technology, Center for Diploma Studies (CeDS),
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), KM 1, Jalan Panchor, 84600 Muar, Johor, MALAYSIA
*Corresponding Author
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30880/jqsr.2020.01.01.001
Received 30 September 2020; Accepted 15 November 2020; Available Online 30 December 2020
1. Introduction
Al-Quran is the most reference and guidance for Muslims since al-Quran has coming to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
All areas of tendency can be referenced from the Quran. Therefore, comprehension to the Quran is important so that people do not deviate from the wrong path. Al-Quran refined, studied and understood by a number of scholars until it has been translated into various languages around the world.
Revelation of al-Quran is crucial especially to youngsters. Nowadays, they have been exposed to various mediums;
mass media and application though devices. Traditional learning in schools can be classified with; in classes during learning and facilitating (PdPc) and outside class during physical education and health (PJK) (Othman, Ahmad &
Rohanai, 2018). Learning process among youngsters can be exciting and fun with various kind of learning method like educational gamification using computer game. Research from (Al-Azawi et al., 2016) and (Sung et al., 2017) shows that computer games in education can be an attractive way to learning environment for acquiring knowledge. This study proves that the educational computer game influence students’ ability during PdPc by their interest and motivation (Sun
& Gao, 2016).
Abstract: Computer game can be engaging learning resources, motivators and interest drivers and, as a consequence, an efficient way to enhance student learning and success in everyday educational practice. These computer game inspire youngsters specially to work incredibly hard, earning even-needed practice repeatedly. Research has consistently shown that Game-Based Learning (GBL) is a way of engaging users and appealing to various modes of learning. Pahlawan Qarin is a game-based framework designed to serve as a way of understanding and interpreting Al Quran to understand its meaning and use in everyday life. It is presented as a desktop (personal computer) game featuring a Collaborative Learning Game (CLG) in which more than one player can play in a group or room using the internet link (network) simultaneously (multiplayer feature). It can be used as an aid tool for teachers in the recitation and education of the Al Quran subject, which is also taught in schools in Islamic Studies. When collaboration with other partners is carried out, youngsters are seen to be highly active in a game playing session, thus motivating them to complete any assignment given. In future, effectiveness of Pahlawan Qarin on a broader sample volume (usage by more students and teachers) will be further studied.
Keywords: Collaborative Learning Games, Desktop Games, al-Quran, Multiplayer, Islamic studies
Learning with computer game can be more edutainment to youngsters so that they can learn and know about lessons and more about moral aspect. Instead of learning, they can confront with them to complete the lesson task through collaborative learning environment using computer game. Collaborative learning game (CLG) require more than one player in gameplay where game activities involve problem solving spaces and challenges to promote cooperative learning between those engaged in the game. Bontchev & Georgieva (2018) and Hamari et al. (2016) said that collaborative games are the important indicator for students as engaging learning environments. An educational computer game called Pahlawan Qarin has been developed to focus on al-Quran comprehension and translation education. The CLG was developed especially to the youngsters from secondary school. The study caters the issue of youngsters that could not understand the meaning of the verses into al-Quran though they have completed their recitation obligation. Besides, they rarely involved into the additional Quranic classes to enhance and enrich their comprehension to al-Quran. Normally, parents and teachers choose to teach al-Quran by conventional way to their kids as it is must. By using printed paper based or hardcopy, they teach the kids in a common standard like in late 1970’s to early 1980’s era.
There are several of educational based game that focusing of al-Quran. Basically, the developer focuses on the correct
‘tajweed’ to be recited of the verses and display the translation verses such as Quran Puzzle published by Mizan Apps Publisher, Muslim Kids Quran published by Osratouna.com and Marbel ‘Mari Belajar Mengaji’ published by Educa Studio. Most of these games are limited to collaborative element which can play by multiplayer feature and adventurous game playing concept. Youngsters nowadays have the option to play while learning with their peers with the new age technology and connectivity through internet networking, creating an immersive world of learning in a fantasy area.
2. Methodology
The methodology used for this study was an ADDIE model (Jones, 2014; Hidayanto, Rahman & Kusnendar, 2017).
The model included analysis phase, design phase, development phase, implementation phase and evaluation phase. All phases must follow by sequence as a result for an excellent product. Fig. 1 shows an ADDIE model.
Fig. 1 - ADDIE model.
2.1. Analysis
In this phase, usually a study should start with a brainstorming session, by identified a common problem to be solve, analyzed the requirement needs to build a product and collected all the data needs to the study. From this study, the common problem especially to the youngster is to understand the meaning of the verses in al-Quran. Hence, there are several requirements need to cater this problem by developing an educational computer game to attract their interest and motivational to the al-Quran. The project had been established with the technology and tools needed.
The requirements were gathered in early February 2019, prior to designing the product. The study begins with gathering the information by several interview sessions with a Focus Group consists of individuals from different age group and roles. The questionnaires being asked by students are related to the kind of interest the youngsters have in Islamic Studies especially in al-Quran; their present method of learning, information on uses of al-Quran refrains, enthusiasm for computerized games for learning purposes just as enthusiasm for ‘multiplayer’ game. In view of the data accumulated, we figured out the storyline to the storyboard of the game which had the blueprint of specialized perspective
and structure of the game play. Table 1 shows the information of the Focus Group, where the primary school students are aged 12 years old and the secondary school students are aged between 13 to 15 years old.
Table 1 - Focus group information.
Role
Primary School
Secondary
School Teacher Age 12 Age 13-15
No. of Respondents 2 3 1
2.2. Design
In this phase, designing is commonly important to make sure some product deliver with good to the targeted user.
Storyboarding and graphic element has been created. Pahlawan Qarin has been developed based on the concept of
‘multiplayer’ game which this game should be using an internet connection. It is fuses learning part of al-Quran recitation and interpretation and from that point onward, test or test segment as experience playing. The story line of the game spins around the player who is called Pahlawan (client/player themselves) that will get terrible/detestable seditions from a being called Qarin the Djin.
There are 3 levels provided in this game which the player will have to fight those seditions by finding the correct paper that are containing the name of al-Quran verse and line number. All the player needs to do to annihilate the Qarin is by crashing into the paper, which represents the activity of the player recounting those stanzas. In spite of the fact that this game really has a wide particular to be satisfied, because of time imperative, the executed item is considered as the main variant (essential adaptation) which implies that further advancement will be planned soon.
The instruments expected to actualize the game is a personal computer (PC) with Windows working framework (OS), web association, console and mouse as the information regulator. Fig. 2 shows each of the scene from the Pahlawan Qarin game.
Fig. 2 - Scenes in Pahlawan Qarin game.
2.3. Development
In the development phase, the study mainly used Unity (version 2019) which is known as a cross-platform three- dimensional (3D), two-dimensional (2D), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality games (AR) game engine. This platform develops by Unity Technologies (Buyuksalih et al., 2017). This platform provide free Unity Asset Store as well as 3D Warehouse (https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com) which is in SketchUp format (.skp) to be imported for the characters (player and zombie), environment and objects in the game. Uniquely, the multiplayer feature in this game can be utilized from Photon Unity Networking (PUN). Unity offers PUN for a multiplayer game, a flexible matchmaking, which means that it can bring the players into rooms where the network can synchronize items. Both Unity and PUN
have low-level APIs that are identical. But the main differentiating factor between them is the infrastructure needed for these libraries to use these APIs. A server/client architecture facilitates Unity Networking. All messages must go via the host client and cannot be sent between nodes directly. For example, messages are transmitted from client B to client C using the following route, based on Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 - Message transferred between nodes n a network in Unity and in PUN.
From Fig. 3, a total of 4 hops from source to destination are taken from the post. In addition to this, the game ends if the host is disconnected from the network. PUN has a similar server / client architecture, but also allows transmitting messages from peer-to - peer. Based on the diagram above, for example, messages are transmitted from Client B to Client C. For the same message transfer between two nodes, that is a total of 2 hops relative to the 4 in Unity. In addition to this, PUN could probably fully bypass the Relay Server and Client B would communicate with Client C directly, thereby minimizing the hops to 1. As a result, PUN is faster than Unity.
In Unity, GameObject in the scenes should attach a script in order to be called by Unity. Object-oriented scripting languages used in Unity to operate all the languages. Visual studio offers C# for the scripting to created, edited and debugged. In additional, Adobe Illustrator also used for designing purposes. CorelDraw and Filmora used for video development with animation feature with help of Microsoft Power Point. Unit testing and integration testing have been continually performed during the development process to ensure that the expected code and output runs smoothly on the screen and environment of multiple clients.
2.4. Implementation
All students played in their selected space simultaneously (5 groups consisting of 3 people each), as the game introduces the multiplayer rule. The teacher played the game as well, joining one of the group of students. In order to speed up the implementation process and to ensure that the session runs smoothly, the students were grouped accordingly.
Once linked by joining room, al-Quran verses, recitation and translation were taught or shown in which these essential elements have to be remembered; (i) the negative criteria, (ii) verses name and (iii) verses line number. The level of the game began when the al-Quran recitation session finished. Each level has a recitation session of their own al-Quran. Only the player still alive in the game (winning the level) will progress to the next round. There was no particular time given for the understudies to finish their game playing meeting. There are 7 participants managed to finish all 3 levels from all 14 participant of students. This phase, which consists of these tasks, took about 3 hours altogether; (i) setup for installation and connectivity test, (ii) briefing, (iii) pre-usage data collection, (iv) playing session, (v) post-usage data collection and (vi) discussion on feedback with the participants.
2.5. Evaluation
To quantify the impact of utilizing the game, the questionnaires were given. The participants were given 2 questionnaires of inquiries, are (i) pre-usage: by teacher and students, and (ii) post-usage: by teacher and students. The questionnaires from pre-usage evaluation to students contains of (i) experience playing any games, (ii) experience learning al-Quran, (iii) interest to learn translation of al-Quran, (iv) experience learning the translation of al-Quran (v) interested with appreciation and knowledge about interpretation of al-Quran, (vi) the understanding about interpretation of al-Quran, (vii) about Qarin the Djinn, (viii) the interest to find out use of verse al-Quran in overcoming problems and negative values, and (ix) interest and involvement during al- Quran class and interpretation in school. Next, the questionnaires from pre-usage evaluation to teachers contains of (i) their experience teaching al-Quran class (ii) student’s knowledge about al-Quran and interpretation, (iii) teaching medium, (iv) student’s interest about al-Quran and
interpretation, (v) intention to learn al-Quran and interpretation using collaborative game, and (vi) student involvement in learning the al-Quran and interpretation within class-based observation by teacher.
In other hand, the post-usage evaluation for students contains of (i) similarity with other collaborative learning game, (ii) experience in collaborative learning game characterized Islamic, (iii) interest to find out about al-Quran and interpretation, (iv) experience playing Pahlawan Qarin and understand it well, (v) Pahlawan Qarin can made games learning as aid materials teaching for Islamic studies subject especially al-Quran, (vi) the interesting interface and creative collaboration learning game, (vii) excited to play collaboration learning game, (viii) exposure about use a sentence from the al-Quran learned in this game, and (ix) improvement in this collaboration learning game. The post-usage evaluation for teachers has been ask with similar questions in addition with (i) teacher’s observation with the collaboration learning game to their students, and (ii) comparison students’ involvement and interest against learning al-Quran in this test session and before this test.
The teacher and students have been explained on each of the questions. In advance, discussions were held with the teacher about criteria for assessing the engagement factor. These criteria will be used; (i) body language, (ii) facial expression, (iii) enthusiasm shown, and (iv) level of participation. Data collection was carried out using Google Form on the same day that the game, which was located in the computer room of the school on 21 May 2019, was launched. At the end of the session, further research was carried out on the collected data to remove any redundancy and summarize the findings accordingly. All questionnaires and the findings are supplemented in Appendix A to Appendix D.
3. Results and Discussion
This study was conducted at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampong Raja, Pagoh, Johor, Malaysia among Standard 6 (12 years old) students. There are 14 respondents from students and one respondent from Islamic subject teacher were participated in this study. Table 2 shows the result that CLG indeed has a big impact towards youngsters. From this table, the average increase in engagement and interest found by the students themselves was as high as 20%, although the teacher agreed that the implementation session saw an average increase of 15%. Other calculated elements that are shown in Table 3 (student’s feedback) are (i) usability of the product particularly in teaching and learning al-Quran, (ii) attractiveness of the product (user interface, color & graphic aspect, animation, visual design) (iii) user friendly feature, (iv) preference in multiplayer feature and (v) originality of the product.
Table 2 - Level of engagement & interest in al-Quran teaching and learning session.
Samples (1) Teacher Observation on Students (14) Students Feedback Average %
Before using CLG 75 68
After using CLG 90 88
Increment (%) 15 20
Table 3 - Results for other elements of the product.
Elements (14) Student’s Feedback
Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Usability 1 5 8
Attractiveness 0 10 4
User Friendly 0 8 6
Multiplayer 0 0 14
Originality 0 0 14
An agreement based on values (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree, 4 = strongly agree) is required to answer most of the questions asked in the questionnaire. Overall, the feedback obtained was mainly positive, with values 3 and 4 included. Ultimately, during the whole playing session, the students appreciated the multiplayer game by sharing their excitement. They also stated that this was the first time they had experienced an Islamic Djin design game that emphasizes the use of verses from the al-Quran. Not only does Pahlawan Qarin introduce these students to a being called Qarin but also to understand the translation of al-Quran as well as to teach them how and when, according to those circumstances, to apply certain verses. As a result, this study definitely aim that the collaborative learning games can be an aid tools for teacher in the recitation and education of the al-Quran subject during teaching and learning in class.
4. Conclusion
This study presented a Collaborated Learning Game (CLG) approach for the understanding and translating al-Quran learning. A real-time multiplayer game, Pahlawan Qarin, was created to test the level of engagement of the student while using this object. In order to make a comparison, the outcomes before using the game and after using the game were obtained. The results indicate that students using CLG have greater commitment to the teaching and learning session of the al-Quran compared to the normal method using only printed media (hardcopy). Teachers also can use this platform as an aid tool during teaching and learning in class. In the future, the effectiveness of Pahlawan Qarin on a broader sample volume (usage by more students and teachers) will be further studied.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank students from IT Diploma Project Semester II Session 2018/2019 who producing Pahlawan Qarin game with the collaboration of Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampong Raja, Pagoh, Johor.
Appendix A: Pre-Usage Evaluation by Students Appendix B: Pre-Usage Evaluation by Teachers Appendix C: Post-Usage Evaluation by Students Appendix D: Post-Usage Evaluation by Teachers
References
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Appendix A: Pre-Usage Evaluation by Students
The questionnaire is available from https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QFsUKSHex0BXShk1-QoKCbtZR3nFdZ43HoZoYTCvQjo.
Appendix B: Pre-Usage Evaluation by Teachers
The questionnaire is available from https://docs.google.com/forms/d/151ix8GpwZd-Ka56L0MEFjenokUA1GD8dbXswD6_GYl0t.
Appendix C: Post-Usage Evaluation by Students
The questionnaire is available from https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11wRNdtrNjYN-18LLiIOdihRB15wX1f7PoGT13HVZeQI.
Appendix D: Post-Usage Evaluation by Teachers
The questionnaire is available from https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12T2bJySqC8DYarUadJX4G-zMGuJkFxOiz1IZZ7tJX7w.
